It can be difficult to keep track of your money! It may seem like you’re living paycheck to paycheck, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some simple tips for you to manage your own household budget, and have money left to spare!

Put it on paper. To begin, if you’re going to follow a budget, you must have the budget written down. Use whatever method you’re comfortable with, whether that be a sheet of binder paper and a pen, an Excel spreadsheet, or a program such as Microsoft Money.

Manage your money. There are certain monthly bills that you know will be roughly the same amount. If you get paid twice a month, make two separate budget templates. For example, design one budget for bills due when you get paid on the 1st of the month, another budget for your 15th of the month paycheck. You may be able to divide up the budgets so that you have approximately the same amount of money being paid out for bills during the first and the second parts of the month. Helpful hint: If you have a lot of bills due during the first half of the month, a quick call to your creditors will usually allow for a due date change, to even out the time of the month that your bills are due.

Allow for an allowance. If you’re someone who finds themselves with an empty bank account soon after you get paid, consider an allowance for yourself. For example, every paycheck allow $50 to spend on you- whether you choose to buy clothing, movies or a dinner out with friends, this is YOUR money to spend without feeling guilty. Just make sure that you keep to your limit. If you consistently spend beyond your allowance, it’s not a beneficial practice.

Save, save, save! After you’ve paid all necessary bills, set an amount to be deposited to a savings account from every paycheck. Whether it’s $20 a month or $200, every little bit adds up and you never know when you’ll have an emergency and need to access this money. (Just remember, new shoes do not equal an emergency!

Make it visible. If you have a certain place in your home where you usually sit to pay bills, print out your budget and keep the most current one in front of you. As you pay a bill, mark it off as a physical reminder that the task is finished.

If you keep order to your household finances, you’ll soon find that the practice of budgeting and saving money is easy!